Quinn says it was “promising” that a group of legislators offered a new pension proposal. He called it a “positive development,” but the closest he got to expressing an opinion on the merits of the plan was to call it …

QUINN: “… a very interesting proposal.”

Not good. Not bad. Just “interesting.”

Quinn reiterated that he wants pensions dealt with in the 34 days before the General Assembly adjourns. But when a reporter asked what he would do about it on each of those 34 days, Quinn punted — and spent the better part of a minute talking about Northern Illinois making it to the Orange Bowl.

QUINN: “And I very much hope to be there with, I think it’s Tom Cross’ top aide, is a graduate of NIU. And we are going to go together. And I’m sure right there at halftime — it’s a very long halftime show there at the Orange Bowl — we’ll figure out a way to get everybody in and nobody left out when it come to pension reform.”